Andaman Beach Resort Koh Jum

Direct access to a beautiful beach was the one good thing about this hotel. The rooms were quite dirty, and the bathroom sink hadn’t been properly cleaned. The mattress was thin enough that I could feel the springs, so sleeping was uncomfortable. Restaurant food was poor and came in very small portions. Staff were friendly, but they didn’t speak English.

We’d gladly return. It’s a calm, family-friendly place, and even with lots of children around they somehow stay fairly quiet. The food is decent and usually comes out reasonably quickly. Staff are willing to help and generally friendly, though there’s some chaos, things get forgotten, and language misunderstandings happen. Quite a few older guests seem to know one another and return each season.

Apart from the employee who helped with our bags at check-in, the staff came across as cold and uncaring, and most seemed rude and unaware of basic hospitality. The rooms were clean, the bed comfortable, and breakfast selection was okay. Still, our requests were handled badly. When I asked about late checkout, reception refused immediately. There was no toothbrush or toothpaste, and none to buy at the hotel; they told me to go to 7:11. At breakfast our toddler needed a high chair. One hostess ignored us despite being called five times, then only pointed to where it was, so my wife had to leave our child and get it herself. Later, when we asked for extra water at night, they said it would cost extra. We understood that, but they asked for the money before bringing the water, so my wife was unhappy and I went out to get some.

The island was fantastic, and our family bungalow right on the beach had a breathtaking location. The place is old, and there was no fridge or dependable power sockets in the room, but those things didn’t bother us. Everyone was friendly and helpful. At low tide the water wasn’t very clear and swimming wasn’t possible, so it’s not good for snorkeling. Still, our 11- and 13-year-olds spent hours in the water and loved it. Renting mopeds worked well. Without them, we’d have felt a bit stuck, since the heat at the end of March makes walking around difficult.